Supporting device for pipe cleaning machines



\ Filed March 11, 1947 May 15, 1951 v, GWEN 2,552,808

SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR PIPE CLEANING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 15,1951 V J. v. O'BRIEN SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR PIPE CLEANING MACHINES 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 11', 1947 Patented May 15, 1951 SUPPORTINGDEVICE FOR PIPE CLEANING- MACHINES J chn V. OBrien, Park Ridge, 111.

Application March 11, 1947, Serial No. 733,810

7 Claims.

The, invention relates generally to improve ments in machines for use incleaning pipes of various kinds, and removing stoppagesin drains, suchas sink drains, floor drains, etc, but relates more particularly toportable machines for this purpose.

The general object of the invention is to provide a machine of this kindwhich shall be light, compact and sturdy so that it may be easilycarried and operated by one man and which at the same time shallfunction efficiently for a variety of purposes, such as cleaning outscale, corrosion and stoppages in drains and pipes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of this kindhaving a motor for actuating the flexible cable, to which the cutterelement is attached, and an associated drum for storing the unusedportion of the cable, th motor in non-operative position being supportedclosely adjacent the drum so that the drum and motor may be transportedas a unit, and the motor being easily withdrawn with sufficient cable asnecessary for use in the cleaning of pipes, drains and the like.

Again it is an object of the invention to pro vide a flexible cablestorage drum and stand for supporting the drum, so that the drum mayfree- 1y rotate on one axis in response to torque developed in the cableby the power unit in a cleaning operation and which drum is trunnionedon;

a horizontal axis to enable the drum to be swung to the position bestadapted to permit the cable to pass from the drum to and through thepower unit during a cleaning operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as I proceedwith a description of the invention in connection with the accompanyingdrawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pipe cleaning machineembodying my invention, the parts being in the non-operative position.they occupy when the device is ready to be stored or transported.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine, but with the motor removed, aswhen used and the motor supporting arm swung downwardly into a positionof rest against the top of the drum supporting cradle.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4' is a view of the machine in elevation, certain of the partsbeing broken away to disclose the interior construction and only a por"tion of the handle of the power unit being shown,

and

Fig. 5 is a view, at. right angles to Fig. l, showing the drum tilted atan angle, being one of a number of positions in which it may be placedto facilitate use.

The machine comprises, as main parts, the stand I, flexible cablecontaining drum 2, cradle 3, for supporting drum 2 in stand i, and powerunit 4 for-rotating flexible cable 5.

The details of the reel and reel support. are claimed in my copendingapplication. Ser. No. 6,896, filed February 7., 19.48.

The stand I comprises parallel angle iron members 66, which are held inspaced relation by a. Ushaped metal band 1 having a base portion 8 andupstanding. side leg portions 9!!. The u-shaped member '1 is permanentlysecured to. the member 6-6 as by welding, or in any other suitablemanner. The top portions of the legs Q-9 are preferably bent outwardlyat, right angles and then reverse folded as shown at lit-l0. There arethus provided parts which may serve as handles, if desired, althoughvthe machine as a whole may be conveniently carried in one hand, bygrasping the top span of the cradle member 3- slightly at one side ofcenter.

The cradle 3' is conveniently a casting comprising a bottom span portionH, upstanding side portions l2.-l'2 and top portions Lil-l3, whichextend upwardly and inwardly and which merge into an integral offsetcentral portion I5.

Associated with the offset portion I5. is a plate i6, which is bowedoutwardly so that a spherical portion ll of a brass bearing l8, which ispositioned in the top ofthe drum along the axis of rotation of the drum,may be clamped between said parts. There is thus provided aself-aligning bearing for the upper part of the drum.

The lower part of the drum is supported upon an anti-friction bearingcarried in the central part of the lower span H of the cradle 3. Asshown the anti-friction bearing comprises a ball bearing l9, which isaccommodated in an opening in the span H, being supported by a plate 20bolted to the under side. of the span I l.

The bottom wall of the drum carries a stud 2| having a reduced portion212, which engages. the center ring of the anti-friction bearing and areduced and threaded upper portion 23, which e-xtends into the interiorof the drum. On the bottom outside surface of the drum is a reinforcingplate 24 and on, the. inner surface is a washer 25. By means of nut 26,the stud 2! is held firmly in position, the washer 25 and reinforcingplate 24 being pressed firmly against the respective sides of the drum.bottom.

By the means described, the drum is positioned for free rotation in thecradle 3 in response to torque imparted to the flexible cable 5 whenrotated by the power unit i.

In the operation of the machine, it is convenient to have th axis ofrotation of the drum in a position other than vertical for which reasonthe cradle is mounted so that it may be swung orltilted to the desiredposition, one such position being shown in Fig. 5. For this purposethere main in any placed position.

The power unit d comprises a motor til having a gear housing 3| at oneend and a hollow handle portion 32 fat the opposite end. Extending fromthe gear casing end of the power unit is a chuck 33 through which theflexible cable 5 passes and by means or" which the actuation of thecable by the power unit may be controlled. At that end of the cableexternal to the drum there is secured a suitable tool 3 for cutting awaythe scale, cor- 1 rosion, or other material causing the stoppage orrestriction in the pipe, drain, etc.

When the parts are in their non-operative position (see Figs. 1 and 4)the lower hollow portion of the handle 32 telescopes over the uppercylindrical end of the bearing it, thus serving to support one end ofthe power unit. The other end of the power unit is supported by aswing-able arm 35 pivoted to the cradle as at 36 and having asaddle-like portion 3? at its outer end in which the lower part of thepower unit rests, while engaged with shoulder of the gear housing. Aprojection 38, on the cradle, serves as a stop to limit movement of thearm 35 in one direction. When the power unit is functioning the arm 35is swung downwardly to the position shown in Fi 2.

Current to energize the motor 39 of the power unit is supplied by meansof the conventional conductor 39, which may be plugged into anyconvenient electrical outlet.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the entire machinemay be conveniently transported by gripping one side of the upperportion of the saddle with one hand, preferably on that side over whichthe power unit extends. Because of the compact arrangement, the machinecan be carried into rather confined quarters and positioned convenientlyadjacent the outlet of thepipe, drain or the like to be cleaned. It willbe understood at this time that the major part of the flexible cable isstored in coiled condition within the storage drum, where it is out ofthe way.

' Operation Assuming the machine has been placed adjacent the pipe ordrain to be cleaned, the power unit is lifted away from the stand,cradle, and drum, at the same time'pulling a portion of the 'cable fromthe drum through the hollow upper bearing 18. Before starting the actualcleaning operation the cradle will be positioned at that angle whichwill move the drum so' that its axis of rotation will most freely permitof the paying out of the flexible cable. The tool at the end i of theflexible cable is then inserted in the pipe or drain opening and themotor started to cause rotation of the cable and the cutter afiixedthereto. The cable is then fed forward as the cleaning operationprogresses.

When the cleaning operation has been completed, the parts may be quicklyand easily restored to the position shown in Fig. 1. The soiled cable isthen stored within the drum, where it may be dried, aerated, andcleaned, if desired, through the vent holes 3 l. V

The apparatus is at once light, compact, sturdy and efficient for itsintended purpose.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of theinvention as required by law, I do not wish to be limited to thespecific details, except as may be necessary by limitations in thehereunto appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pipe cleaning machine embodying therein a flexible cable holdingdrum, a supporting structure for the drum and including parts above andbelow said drum and in which it is journalled for rotation, a tubularmember projecting beyond said part of the supporting structure above thedrum and communicating with the interior thereof and forming a cablepayout opening therefore, mechanisms through which said cable extendsand operative for imparting rotation to said cable, and including a partremovably fit-.

ting upon said tubular member and forming, one part of the supporttherefor, and means carried by said structure laterally of said tubularmember and engageable 'by another part of said mechanism and forming asecond part of the support therefor. V

2. A pipe cleaning machine embodying therein a flexible cable holdingdrum, a supporting structure for the drum and including parts above andbelow said drum and in which it is journalled in a flexible cableholding drum, a supporting structure for the drum and including partsabove and below said drum and in which it is journalled for rotation, atubular member projecting beyond said part of the supporting structureabove said drum and communicating with the interior thereof and forminga cable payout opening therefor, an electric motor driven mechanism forimparting rotation to said cable and including a casing and a hollowhandle portion through which said cable extends and which handle portionhas removable telescopic engagement with said tubular member andforming, at leastfa part of the support for said mechanism, and an armswingably mounted on said part of the supporting structure above thedrum and engageable with said casing and forming the other part of thesupport for said mechanism.

4. A pipe cleaning machine embodying theresaid part of the structurebelow the same, a

tubular member projecting from the top of said drum and journalled inand extending beyond that part of the supporting structure above saiddrum and communicating with the interior of the drum and forming thepayout opening for the cable therein, and mechanism for impartingrotation to said cable and including a portion through which said cableextends and which portion has removable telescopic supporting engagementwith the projecting part of the tubular member.

5. A pipe cleaning machine embodying therein a stand, a flexible cableholding drum mounted for rotation on said stand and including a tubularpart journalled in a part of said stand and forming a cable payoutopening for said drum, mechanism having a hollow part through which saidcable extends and operative for imparting rotation to said cable, saidhollow part of said mechanism being adapted for detachable telescopicengagement with said tubular part while having supporting bearingengagement upon said part of said stand between uses of said cable.

6. A pipe cleaning machine embodying therein a stand, a flexible cableholding drum mounted for rotation on said stand, said drum including atubular part journalled in a part of the stand and forming a cablepayout opening of said drum, mechanism through which said cable extendsand operative for imparting rotation to the flexible cable during usethereof, said mechanism including a part adapted for telescopicengagement with said tubular part, and an arm carried by said stand andengageable by another part of said mechanism for supporting saidmechanism upon the stand in a position extending laterally from saidtubular member between uses of said cable,

7. A pipe cleaning machine embodying there in a stand, a flexible cableholding drum, means mounting said drum for rotation on the stand andincluding a tubular part forming a cable payout opening for the drum, apower unit for imparting rotation to said cable, said. unit having ahollow handle portion through which said cable passes, and which istelescopically engageable with said tubular part for supporting one endof said power unit when it is in an inoperative position between uses ofthe cable.

JOHN V. QBRIEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 414,881 Grams Nov. 12, 1889751,204 Rapke Feb. 2, 1904 1,495,304 Heidelberg May 27, 1924 2,033,670Auer Mar. 10, 1936 2,037,104 Yohn Apr. 14, 1936 2,073,928 Gassen Mar.16, 1937 2,259,899 Long Oct. 21, 1941 2,269,406 Crane Jan. 6, 19422,426,265 Gavin Aug. 26, 1947 OTHER. REFERENCES Pages 12 and 13 ofcatalog, Flexible Sewer- Rod Equipment 00., 9059 Venice Blvd, LosAngeles, Calif. (Received in Patent Oifice April 19, 1940, copy inDivision 27.)

